Perfect Roast Turkey Recipes

This turkey is a pleasure to offer on your table. It's incredibly moist and flavorful, and it received our highest Test Kitchens rating. Brining is an overnight process, so if you're using a frozen turkey, be sure to thaw it well in advance. Choose turkey-sized plastic oven bags for brining the turkey. Use two bags to prevent brine from leaking, and place the turkey in a large stockpot as another precaution.

High-heat roasting makes this bird browned and beautiful, and truffle-scented homemade gravy makes it an extra-special treat. The holidays are a time for indulgence, and since this recipe calls for only a few ingredients, use the best quality you can.

Roasted turkey is an absolute must for any Thanksgiving, so if you're looking to shake things up a bit, the stuffing is a better place to start. Savory sausage (try hot Italian sausage if you like spicy) and sage, an herb that just tastes like Thanksgiving in any application, get a kick in the pants from sweet dried apricot, which provides contrast in both flavor and texture. Cooking the stuffing inside the turkey suffuses the meat with a subtle sage-and-apricot scent, but if you're uncomfortable doing that, just cook it in a separate pan.

Serving a small group this holiday? Try roasting just a whole bone-in breast, like in this recipe. Briefly boiling the thyme and black pepper in water extracts the flavor and helps infuse the brine. If the turkey starts to brown too fast, shield with aluminum foil. Serve with mashed red potatoes and roasted baby carrots.

Because you’re starting with a boneless cut, the brining time is much shorter than if using a whole bird. That makes this meal a great choice for an impromptu holiday gathering that still warrants an impressive dish.

Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without a side of gravy. Follow the steps listed at the end of the recipe for a tasty low-fat version. For a handsome garnish, roast lemon halves and peeled shallots at 425º for 20 minutes; arrange with sage sprigs on the turkey platter.

Covering the turkey breast with foil deflects the heat and helps prevent the white meat from cooking faster than the dark. Serve with Make-Ahead Gravy which features a rich, homemade turkey stock base. Enhance the gravy with pan drippings from the turkey.

This recipe developed by Cooking Light Contributor Elizabeth Taliaferro in 2001 is nearly perfect, having won the highest rating in our Test Kitchens. It also continues to receive rave reviews from readers for its ease and consistent success.

Nine ingredients (not counting salt, pepper, and cooking spray) come together for a grand holiday centerpiece with deep nutty essence from toasted walnut oil and chopped nuts. Let your turkey come to room temperature before it goes in the oven; it will cook more evenly and more quickly.

Brining a turkey is well worth the day-ahead time investment. It removes all guesswork, producing an incredibly moist bird that's more forgiving of being slightly overcooked. If you can't find an organic turkey, look for a fresh one without "added solution."